For Another Time
by Thatgirlinthepajamas
Summary: Maya believes that she is a mutant for most of her life, only to learn after an 'accident' that she isn't human at all. Angered by the knowledge, she is taken to her biological family, only to learn that she doesn't really fit in anywhere. She forms a powerful connection with one of the princes of Asgard and attempts to reconcile him to his family.
1. The Power

_So after a very long period of inactivity, I have returned with a new story! This is going to be a predominantly LokixOC story, and may eventually have some Steve RogersxOC. Writing in the Marvel universe is actually pretty tough, specially when it comes to capturing the characters in their most true form. Do leave reviews, I would love to hear from you guys!_

 _Enjoy._

* * *

Maya lay under the covers of her bed, in the silent and somewhat chilly dorm-room. Her curtains had been left open, and the room was lit an eerie purple-blue from the city lights. Her room was the standard mess, as any other college students would be. On the carpet lay strewn her jeans and random, unpaired socks. By her bed, her shoes were tossed carelessly from when she'd kicked them off.

She had just hung up from a call, having spoken to her mom for half an hour. It was nearly 12:45 am, and at 12, as per tradition, her mother had called to wish her.

" _Goodnight. I love you Maya."_

" _Love you too, mum."_

Sighing gently, she had rolled onto her side and only just shut her eyes. She was exhausted from the brunt of her final semester. Their degree show loomed only a month away, and her paintings had yet to be critiqued by her supervisor. The worry made a knot in her chest and she groaned audibly, rolling onto her side when a knock on her door startled her. The knocks were gentle at first, and then slowly grew more frantic. She mumbled to herself as she slid out of bed, she didn't need to open it to know who it was. Maya had to pause in front of the mirror to make sure her eyes were the right colour. As she flicked on the switch that hung over the little sink and mirror in her room, she was unsurprised to find them a honey-yellow. Unsurprised because when she grew too curious, her eyes changed colour and showed her many things at once, such as the person responsible for the knocks on her door.

She did some breathing exercises as her mother had taught her, and her eyes cooled to their dark unassuming shade of brown. She drifted tiredly to the door and pried it open, masking her voice to sound more tired than annoyed,

"Sam," She mumbled as she opened the door, "What are you-"

She was startled into silence. Before her stood pale, blonde and lanky Sam, with a bouquet in one hand and a bunch of balloons in the other.

"Happy birthday Maya!" He sang, pushing past her into her room and releasing the balloons. They hit the ceiling with soft thumps as Maya swung the door shut and flipped on the bedroom light, pleasantly shocked by the surprise she hadn't seen coming. They had been dating for a few months, and she hadn't expected him to do anything of the sort, neither had she been able to see that he had brought something with him- her mother had suggested that her 'powers' were not too powerful, and that she was probably vaguely telepathic in some way.

"Oh no," Sam was behind her, switching off the light again and trailing her hand with his own, "No need to turn that on." He had deposited the flowers somewhere in the room and nuzzled her neck.

"Sammy, what are you doing?"

He responded with a 'sshhh' and left a trail of slow kisses down her neck as he directed her towards the bed, her feet stumbling slightly as he tugged her backwards. He sat down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap, his shirt removed and his fingers cold against the skin of her abdomen. Maya was suddenly feeling exposed.

"Sam, I don't want to go any further right now."

He paused, his hands trailing disappointedly down her thighs as she turned in his lap and straddled him. Her hair lay over one shoulder, wide eyes glinting in the faint light of the room. Sam swore to her that he saw stars in her eyes because they were ' _so shiny'._

"But babe, we _deserve_ this. Come on." He brought his lips gently to hers and her hands came up against his shoulders. Maya had not kissed many people in her life, choosing to keep her physical desires suppressed to the minimum. The sudden dive into all this action left her feeling startled, but she attempted to give in, moving her lips in rhythm with his. His hand tangled in her hair, pulling it slightly.

Admittedly, it felt very, _very_ good to have him straddled beneath her this way. His lips were soft and urgent against hers, and the pulse of his manhood between her legs made itself very known to her.

She felt an itch in her throat just as she felt the warmth pool between her legs.

In a rush, they became tangled, their pants forgotten and breaths hitching.

When she felt him attempt to push his way inside her, savouring the pleasure and awaiting the pain that would come, something very unexpected began.

It started with a strange glow, as if the capillaries in her skin were igniting like a bomb going off in slow motion. Her skin was illuminated by veins of purple light, that throbbed with her own heartbeat. Sam's heart-rate sped up, so much that she was close enough to feel his heart hammering as if it would tear it's way through his chest. He thought it was excitement, but his had began to spin, a feeling of intense pleasure coursing through his body before it turned to pain, infuriating and scorching throw every cell of his being.

"Maya?" His voice came out raspy and confused, his pupils had shrunk and he seemed to not be looking towards her anymore.

"Sam?" Panicked, she struggled to move away from under him, horrified more so by the beginnings of what became a violent spasm. He convulsed over her, his eyes wide and almost bursting from his skull, his tongue penetrating weakly through his lips as if he was choking. A strange, prolonged groan escaped him as if he was trying to say something to her.

"SAM!"

The first time she screamed, she hadn't heard her own voice. Pushing his convulsing body off, she threw herself off the bed and pulled on her pyjama bottoms, seizing her phone to dial for an ambulance. He seemed to still as she sobbed into the phone, tugging a shirt over her head as she tore the bedroom door open and screamed for help.

When the ambulance arrived, the convulsions were over and Sam was carried out in silence on a stretcher. He was still alive, but unconscious and had suffered some sort of seizure.

Some of her friends from the dorm-floor attempted to comfort her, squeezing her shoulders as she sat, stock-still, on her bed. Her closest friend Emma, had come charging down the hall at the sound of Maya's screams and had spoken to the first responders when they arrived, her eyes trained on Maya, who had sat on the bed, stiff and incredibly still.

The first responder had said something about possible drugs in his system, but Maya hadn't known Sam to do much beyond smoking weed. She did too occasionally, and now she was left to wonder why it wasn't her that had been convulsing.

Feeling lecherously filthy, she ran her hands through her hair and shuddered. Emma shut the door behind the last people to leave, their floor supervisor included.

"Maya, come sleep in my room." She stepped gently to her friend and brushed her hair out of her eyes, "Maya?"

She gazed at her friend, and almost as if she'd snapped to reality, Maya nearly jumped. "No. No, I'll shower and sleep here. I have to face this."

Emma would plead with her, but her first year at university had only taught her that there wasn't a creature on earth as stubborn as Maya.

"I'll see you in the morning, Firestarter."

Maya smiled softly, nodding gently at her friend as she left.

* * *

"My dear…" Frigga appeared to be mumbling to herself, standing in the balcony so well lit by the sun that she was nearly invisible to Loki's fast-adjusting eyes. Frigga had sensed the awakening of her daughter's innate abilities. They had long been put to sleep, but now that she was matured, nothing could hold her body from becoming what it was meant to be. Frigga clasped her hands and her lips compressed into a worried line as Loki strode to her.

"Mother."

"Loki." She paused, as if she had meant to speak further, her lips parting, "Freyja has just awoken part of her…powers."

Loki frowned, cocking his head to one side, "Then should we not go to her?"

Realizing her mistake, Frigga turned away from Loki and strode out further into the balcony, with her son hot on her heels. "Tell me, mother. Will you not go to her now? When she needs you more than anyone else?"

When she did not answer, he paused a little away from her, shoulders drooped and eyes scrutinizing. She did not need to speak for Loki to put the situation together in his mind. He scoffed disappointedly, feeling a soft pulse of anger towards his mother, "She does not know does she?"

The silence he received angered him more, and he was one careful with his temperance, particularly towards his mother.

"You left her in the dark, for 18 years?" He sounded disbelieving, as if he found the idea that Frigga would remain silent towards her daughter incredulous, an idea that he hoped was not the truth.

"I had to, Loki. If the All-father were to have known, she would cease to be."

"You told me she knew. Why would you lie? If you didn't have the courage to face her yourself, I would have." A powerful statement, he knew. He immediately regretted it.

She turned her head sharply, "What do you think it is you could have accomplished that I could not? I have hidden her there, all these years."

A laugh bubbled from his mouth, a most unnatural and cold chuckle, "I can hardly believe you. How do you think someone like her will react once she realizes she is not human? And when she finds out she has a family that _left her?_ "

The silence that descended between them was disheartening and frosty. Loki approached her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. He spoke so genuinely that Frigga questioned her own actions.

"You must go to her now. Before she learns about her heritage some other way."

Loki disappeared with a glimmer, as Frigga stood looking back through the large arching doors of her bedroom balcony, wondering what calamity her actions would bring.

* * *

Maya stepped out of the shower, a clean towel wrapped snuggly around her body as she stood in front of the sink and stared at her reflection. Her dark hair clung to her skin in thick tendrils, her eyes looked sunken in. She had the appearance of somebody worse-for-wear. Her hands shook through the shower, and she could only repeat to herself that none of it had been her fault or her doing. What control did she have over his physical being?

"Calm down." She huffed, leaving the bathroom to dress herself into a fresh pair of pyjamas and a soft t-shirt that would keep her comfortable. She turned to towel her hair and froze, her heart lurching into her throat, as thunder echoed loudly outside. It sounded as if the roof was crashing overhead and she laughed nervously to herself,

" _Thunder and lightning aren't so frightening."_

She had sung this little line to herself frequently, living on the outskirts of New York, far confined from the noise of the city and the comfort of neighbours. Her mother's orchard home had been frightening plenty of times in her childhood.

Hastily, she pulled on the dark pair of jeans that had been lying on the carpet. She pulled on a bra, and then a black t-shirt from within her messy drawer of similar t-shirts. Brushing her wet hair until it was untangled, she blow-dried it until it was only slightly damp. She watched her reflection, vaguely aware of the fact that certain parts of her skin still emitted a strange glow, as if someone had lit little bulbs of light within her veins.

Terrified, she snatched her cell phone from her bed, and pulled on her jacket, scrambling for the purse that hung on the coat stand by the door. She unlocked her bedroom door and slipped out into the yellow light of the hallway, clicking the door shut as quietly as possible. She locked it and hastened down the hall to the staircase, zipping up her jacket all the way to hide her neck.

She felt the strange buzz within her like electricity and she was hyperaware of the fact that she would not be able to control her eyes from glowing yellow. Whispering to herself, she tried to comfort herself. If she lost her calm, it would be very difficult to drive.

The thought made her panic more and she slipped down the stairs, bombarded by images of her entire building. Emma in her room, leafing through a novel. The boy that lived across her rolling a joint for himself. The night-guard shuffling around the outskirts of the building, nearing the entrance.

Pushing herself onto her feet, she ran back up a few steps, hiding from his view as he entered the building and slipped into the back-room of the front desk. With him gone from sight, she wiped the sweat from her brow and sprinted out the door, the whirr of the automatic door the only sound announcing her exit. Outside safely, she felt the cold hit her lungs as she inhaled, grateful for the freedom of being out under the open sky. Cold drops of water occasionally smattering her exposed hands and her cheeks, she pulled up her hood, shoved her hands in her pockets and began to pace quickly to the student parking lot towards her car.

There wasn't a soul in sight, but that did not mean there wasn't a soul in _her_ sight. She could see the birds nestled on various window sills and behind old air-conditioning vents, she could see a homeless man shimmying his way towards the student dumpsters and the rat scourging its way through the trash. It took all her will-power to bring her focus back to herself as she pried her car-keys from her tote, unlocking the car-door and tossing her bag into the passenger seat. As she sat down behind the wheel, she rested her head back and took in a deep breath, focusing on the sound of thunder and the flashes of red-purple lightning in the clouds. They would keep her grounded as she drove home, ' _I can't stay here, I have to be able to do this drive.'_ She was convinced that staying at her accommodation would only deem herself a danger to anyone else, and the thought of Sam convulsing and frothing at the mouth made her shudder.

' _I did that.'_

"No, no, no…" She shook her head and pulled the car door shut, starting the engine and pulling down all the windows so that she could hear the noise of New York city, the rain and the thunder, and smell the scent of damp earth as she reversed her car out of it's spot and began her rather careless drive home.


	2. The Truth

Here is part 2, I'll be uploading part 3 shortly! This story is set pre-Thor, so Thor hasn't been banished as yet, and Loki hasn't learnt of his true heritage.

Please do leave reviews :)

Enjoy!

* * *

The usual three-hour journey home was shortened to an hour and forty minutes, Maya keeping her foot down on the accelerator firmly the entire drive. She had stopped at no traffic signals, ignoring the insults yelled at her by other night-drivers.

Turning sharply down onto the bumpy lane that led past the orchard, she bounced in her seat, her purse slipping down to the floor with a thump. The headlights cast strange, long shadows through the trees, alerting her mother who had been reading leisurely under the dim light of her bedroom lamp. Confused as to who would be calling at such an hour, she propped herself up to catch the dark form of her daughter's jeep as it bounced its way into the front yard.

She heard the car door slam shut and worriedly pushed herself out of bed to get the door.

Maya stood, now drenched in the rain that had gotten faster over the course of her walk from the car to the porch.

"Mom."

The stoniness of her expression worried Nadia, and she pulled her daughter inside, gently shutting the door.

"What happened?" Speaking softly, she attempted to hold her daughter only to have her flinch away from her.

"You can't touch me." Wordlessly, she trekked down the hall to the living room, aggressively pulling off her jacket as she stood before the large decorative mirror that hung on one wall and examined herself.

"I hurt someone." She watched her mother in the mirror as she came up behind her. "Sam wanted to…we were…" She swallowed the lump in her throat, her eyes trained on her mother's in the reflection. "My skin lit up like a lamp, and he had a _fit. He frothed at the mouth and…and convulsed and…"_

She began to cry, palms covering her eyes like a child would. Nadia came up behind her and hugged her, uncertain of what to say.

"No, don't!" She struggled to pull away, but Nadia held her, "Shush child, nothing will happen to me. Relax. Sit down." Rubbing circles on her daughter's lower back, she brought her to the sofa and sat her down, taking her hands in her own as she sat beside her.

"Don't blame yourself. This is my fault."

Confused, Maya seemed to freeze and when she turned to look at her mother, Nadia's heart nearly broke from the pain she could see in her dark eyes.

"What do you mean?" Her voice cracked, mouth parted as she sobbed and tried to contain her emotions.

For a moment, Nadia considered covering up and continuing the lie that her daughter was a _gifted_ human. For a split-second, she pondered the outcome of putting up with the lie. She decided against it, shaking her head as she spoke.

"Your abilities are more than just...telepathy." She paused, trying to formulate her sentence. "No. They are not abilities, they are _natural_ to you."

As she frowned in confusion, more tears dripped from her eyes, leaving damp stains on her jeans

"W…What?"

"22 years ago, I…you came into my life by way of another being."

Nadia watched as her daughter sat stock-still, fists clenched in her lap as she had pulled them away from her mother's comforting grip.

"Your parents were from…another world." Nadia had rehearsed this speech many times, but now her mind was at a loss for a smart explanation. "Your mother came here with you, to protect you from forces that would harm you. She left you under my care and parental supervision."

Feeling as if the wind was taken from her lungs, Maya felt the life drain from her heart. What followed was numbness, a chill of loneliness and then anger. Anger that was so viciously scathing that she tore herself from the sofa and stood before her mother.

"What are you saying?!" The loudness of her own voice surprised her, it tore free from her throat unconfined by the patience that Maya usually held.

"Your parents are from a world called Asgard. You are an Asgardian like them, therefore you have certain abilities I should have warned you about." Nadia's voice was quiet, almost meek, afraid that her daughter would lose control of her powers.

"A…Asgard?" Her voice was quieter, chillingly so, "You could have told me I wasn't human from the beginning. Why didn't you?" Her voice quivered, still not yet shouting, but no longer gentle. She did not allow her mother to speak, words leaving her before she could pause to think about what she was saying. She was yelling again.

"You knew! You ALWAYS KNEW. You knew I felt like I didn't belong, that I WASN'T _NORMAL!"_ Her voice echoed outside into the trees, accentuated by the fall of rain on the leaves and the thunder that was softer and further away than it had been earlier.

Fists clenched, tears spilled freely down her cheeks as Nadia stood up and reached towards her daughter.

"NO!" Backing away, Maya knocked a vase from the side table by accident, turning to watch the broken pieces on the wooden floor. She sobbed at the sight of it, turning back to Nadia.

"I could have killed Sam. I could have hurt _you_." Her voice was loud, but the anger seemed to have left her.

"You wouldn't have. Your abilities were asleep for most of your life…" She clasped her hands, "I don't understand why they may have woken up now."

Sobbing, her hands came back to her face as she wiped the tears from her face.

"So I'm not your daughter?"

"Did I not raise you, Maya?"

She removed her hands and watched her mother, hurt evident in her eyes. Nadia paled at the sight of her. She looked absolutely broken. She sobbed loudly and Nadia could not keep the tears from her own eyes. "I'm so sorry my love. I should have told you." Her own voice shook as she placed her hands gently on her daughter's face, "I love you, you are my daughter. No matter where you're from. I raised you, I know you, you are no different than the Maya I have always loved."

This seemed to calm her, her chest heaving with her silent sobs as she relented to her mother and hugged her, crying wildly like a child would. She cried for some time, Nadia had lost track. Outside, the storm seemed to continue, and Nadia swore she felt the earth shake after a very powerful crack of thunder and lightning flashed somewhere beyond the orchard surrounding the house.

Having calmed slightly, Maya relented to asking her mother for a hot drink and as Nadia returned to the lounge with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, there was a faint knock on the front door. Pulling her blanket over her daughter's shoulders, Nadia stood with her palms against her hips, eyebrows creased with worry.

"Who would be knocking at 3 am?" Nadia muttered, reminding herself that in the storage cupboard by the entrance was a loaded pistol hidden between the shelf and the wall.

The knock had frightened them both, obviously so. Maya watched her mother anxiously as she went to the door, striding with the purpose of forced courage. With her mother out of sight, she leaned back and craned her neck of the edge of the sofa to see who it could possibly be.

"Frigga." Her mother's voice, alarmed and very stiff, found its way back to Maya. There was the sound of rustling material and the gentle click of the door followed by two pairs of footsteps.

"Maya," She stood from the sofa, mug in her hands as her mother rounded the corner of the hallway from the door looking paler than before, with her hands clasped together and fingers tangled.

"This is Frigga." She paused, an incomprehensible expression on her face, "Your mother."

The woman that stood behind her was dressed in a long robe, her hair was braided away from her forehead. Instantly, Maya flinched.

"The woman that left me you mean?" The cold dismissal had slipped from her mouth, followed by a bitter smile. Nadia disapprovingly frowned at her and crossed her arms, "Manners, Maya."

The other woman, Frigga, refrained from showing a reaction and stepped forward. "You have every right to be angry towards me." Her voice was gentle and soothing, it had a strange effect on Maya and she had to consciously fight the lulling sensation of calm that threatened to take over her. As Frigga took another step towards her, Maya made note of how tall and graceful she was.

"You must feel very angry right now."

"Angry is an understatement- Of all the times for you to actually show up, why now?" The bitterness spilled freely into her voice, although she attempted to speak with more respect.

"Would you allow me to explain the circumstances with which I brought you here?"

Maya swallowed and then slowly moved to sit back onto the sofa, gesturing for Frigga to take a seat, "Please, I would like that very much."

Frigga exchanged a glance with Nadia and took a seat on the large red single-seater by the side-table, making sure to keep her dress from the shards of the broken vase. Nadia followed, sitting on the sofa beside her daughter.

Frigga glanced down at her hands before she began, addressing Maya as gently as possible.

"You were born as Freyja, here in this very home. I came to this realm, to hide you away from my husband's politics. If he knew that I was to bear a girl, he would use you as a political tool." Frigga was spinning a little white lie, but Maya was unaware. "I am the queen of Asgard, and my husband, Odin, is the king. We have two sons." She paused, watching Maya for any reaction. The girl was still, watching the woman with wide eyes, immersed in her tale.

"We had dealt with many wars, and a daughter would serve as a potential way to forge alliances with the people of other realms. I did not wish that life for you. I came here and remained with your mother until after my delivery."

"So, my father doesn't know that I exist at all?" Her voice cracked, adding to the pain she felt.

Frigga was quiet for a moment, contemplating the very question. "No, he does not."

"Is my father your husband?"

Nadia's eyes shot to her daughter, and then back to Frigga. It surprised her that she had never thought of this. Frigga stiffened visibly. "No, he is not. However, things work differently in Asgard. He would have raised you as his own, you are a daughter of the queen. A princess of Asgard."

Caught in the silence that followed, Maya leaned back in her place on the sofa.

"This Asgard…Is it the same as that of Norse myths?"

A glint of pleasure flashed in Frigga's eyes. "Yes, it is."

"So, your husband is Odin the All-father, and you're Frigga, the goddess of _motherhood_?"

The bitter way in which she enunciated the last word made Frigga want to flinch from hurt. Yet, the child had a right to speak so she let it go and contained herself from chiding her.

"Your brothers are Thor, the god of thunder and Loki, the god of mischief."

Maya nodded numbly, "And what am I? The goddess of abandonment? Or do I get none of that fancy title stuff?"

Frigga turned her gaze to the window panes, watching the drops of water as they trickled down.

"You are Freyja, the goddess of passion and divine pleasure."

"Divine pleasure?" Maya leaned forward, now thoroughly confused.

"Yes…" Frigga grew uncertain for a moment, "I have come now because I felt you unlock some of your abilities… When your mortal lover attempted to make love to you, it was too much for him to bear. Such intensity is not for mortal bodies."

Maya stared wide eyed, her hot chocolate now very cool in its mug. How this woman had even known that had happened worried her, it seemed ridiculous that from realms away, a single being could have sensed that she had triggered some part of her abilities that had remained dormant for so long. A scoff fell from her mouth as she tossed her head back, feeling vulnerable from the knowledge of how much this woman actually could have known about her. She felt the need to deflect back onto her, to protect herself.

"So, if you had never come to me, I would have hurt anyone I made love to?"

"My intentions were not to stay out of your life forever. I had to wait until I was sure you would not be used as a tool. You are my child and I have done everything only to protect you." She stood up and strode towards Maya, kneeling before her and placing her hands over hers. The feeling of her skin sent a strange surge of comfort through the younger girl and she turned to look at Nadia uncertainly and then back at Frigga's comforting gaze.

"I am sorry that I stayed away for so long." She tucked a strand of Maya's hair behind her ear. "You should have known. I should have been here to teach you many things…I am sure you have many questions about yourself. I hope that you can forgive me and make room for me in your life."

Maya exhaled, a single tear gliding down her face as she nodded slowly and switched between Nadia and Frigga, "We…we can try. Right mom?" She had turned her questioning gaze to Nadia, and although this caused a pang of jealousy in Frigga's heart, she accepted the action. Nadia had been more of a mother than she had.

Frigga smiled endearingly at her daughter, admiring her beauty. She had taken much of her father- dark hair, dark eyes and yet, there were gentle features that neither of her parents had had, such as the full lower lip, the thick lashes and doe-eyes. Frigga herself had sharp features, and her lover had the very opposite and yet, they had created a divinely beautiful daughter. Frigga could not keep her tears of joy and she let them fall freely, finding kindness and curiosity in her daughter's eyes when they met hers again.

She realized in that moment, that each of her children had embodied extremely distinct personalities.


	3. The Acceptance

The next morning Maya opened her swollen lids to the comforting glow of the morning sun lit up her room. She rubbed her eyes, breathing deeply as her mind put together the disjointed thoughts of last night. She lay in bed for a moment longer, staring up at the ceiling and then turning her head to observe the rest of the room. The light green walls had been the same colour since she was 16, the same heavy-oak desk under the window most of her life. The only recent additions were the masses of art history text books crammed into the shelves, and the pile of canvases that sat in one corner of the room. Before beginning university, she had installed a shelf-rack into the wall that held her paints and inks. There was a light smattering of dust that she could see, highlighted only by the morning light.

She pushed away her covers and as her feet hit the carpet, they knocked over the little bin that was next to her bed. It tipped over, spilling out many tissues from last night's crying. Sighing, she picked it up and filled it again, moving then to push open the curtains. A light knock from the door, Nadia opened it just before Maya could respond.

"Is it okay if I come in?"

She looked just as exhausted, her hair in a messy bun and dark circles under her light-grey eyes. Maya nodded silently and as her mother came into the room, she went to her for a long hug.

"I'll still choose you as my mother." She whispered, feeling Nadia wrap her arms tightly around her. They had always been very close, and Maya had thought much last night about how she could not be more grateful. Her life here had been a good one, save for the trivialities of school-bullying and having to train her mind to keep out of its all-aware state.

"Well, I'm glad because I made you some really good pancakes." Nadia joked, blinking tears out of her eyes as she pulled away and smoother her daughter's hair, "Come down, I've just put the kettle on too."

In her baggy sleep-shirt and floral pyjamas, she followed her mother sleepily down the stairs to the kitchen.

A month later, Maya was pacing in front of her grad show display anxiously. Her palms were clammy, and her dress felt unfitting and her hair felt like it was too flat. Nadia would be coming to see the paintings, but so would _her other family._

"Calm down rocket-legs. What is up with you?" Emma joked as she flitted past, pausing only when she realized her friend was _very stressed_. "Do you want a joint? We can smoke it before everyone comes, we've got half an hour."

The friends exchanged glances and then Maya nodded frantically, "God. _Yes please._ " She would do anything to keep her nerves from being this jittery. She wasn't even sure why she felt this way. As they slipped out to the back of the building, perching themselves on a cement bench by the back-garden of their art-block, Maya let out her insecurity.

"Do I look okay? Is this dress making me look fat and uncultured?"

Emma snorted a laugh as she brought the lighter out of her pocket, "Oh jeez Vanschild. Calm your tits, you look really, really hot." She placed the joint between her lips and with a flick of her thumb, lit it. She took a long drag before handing it to Maya, who took an even longer drag and inhaled.

"You look hot like virgins do." Emma joked, nudging her friend teasingly.

Maya froze, at first uncomfortable, and then bubbled a small giggle. "That's not fair. We promised not to talk about it."

The incident with Sam had been buried under the rug, the fact that he never looked her way now remaining the only reason she had never apologised to him. It hurt to think about him, and more to think about what she had done to him.

"You deserve someone manlier anyway. What sort of man can't handle a little sex?" Emma took the joint, taking a drag as the mirth returned to Maya's eyes.

"A mortal one."

The comment hung dumbly between them, then Maya burst into a small fit of laughter as Emma raised an eyebrow at her, "You have such a weird sense of humour. Must be a virgin thing."

"Must be." She agreed, running her hands over her thighs. She had worn a black, form fitting dress. The only jewellery she wore was a delicate gold chain and her small, gold hoops. Her hair had been styled into waves, eyes done up with light gold eyeshadow that accentuated the brownness of her eyes. Her and Emma had gone all-out on the makeup and she had felt super confident before they left their accommodation. The confidence that had slipped away was slowly returning.

"What's with these extra relatives of yours? Are they the reason you're so stressed?"

As she took the joint from her friend and took a puff, Maya pondered at her friend. "I guess. They're kind of…posh."

The word hung between them as the final word, as they decided to finish their joint in quiet contemplation. As they discarded the remains, Emma followed Maya to the door, her follow-up sentence sending Maya into another fit of short laughter, "I hope for my own sake that one of them is super-hot."

As they returned inside, their head of department gathered them and their batch-mates together for a final round of congratulations and encouragements. This was ended by distribution of champagne glasses and a toast for good luck.

Nadia was the first one inside once the doors opened for the show. She found her daughter watching the entrance and waved excitedly at her.

"Sweetheart!" Maya jumped, not having registered that her mother had entered. Grinning, she went in for a hug. Their greeting was interrupted by Emma, who had spotted Nadia as she called out for her daughter. They conversed amiably for some time, until Maya pulled her mother away to show her own work to her.

To say Nadia was astonished was an understatement. The paintings were of various locations, some were corners of their own house, others of the hallways of her accommodation, the corner of a familiar building- all spaces. Each was painted with dark colours, highlighted by bright pinks, blues and greens. All the images looked as if they were lit up by neon, and each image held a haunting sense of loneliness. They were spaces that told a story of something to come, or something to have passed. Nadia could sense the displacement in the work, Maya's own emotions transferred onto canvas. It caused a pang in her heart, and at the same time, she couldn't help but marvel at her daughter's brevity.

As they went through others work, Nadia did not miss the way Maya's gaze would turn to the entrance every time someone new would arrive. She was awaiting the arrival of her other family, Nadia was aware that she had been quite excited about it too. Frigga had remained at their home for the next two days after her initial visit, Nadia allowing them the privacy to connect. This didn't mean she wasn't jealous of the other woman. She had felt a powerful sense of possessiveness since the woman had re-arrived into Maya's life.

"Mum." Maya whispered urgently, pulling Nadia back to her part of the show. She was watching the entrance, and Nadia spotted quickly the source of her urgency.

Frigga had arrived in a silken lavender dress that ended at her knees. She was fashionably dressed, aware of the style of this realm. A small handbag clutched in one hand, the other held by a tall young man who only let go to hold open the door. Maya leaned over from behind Nadia to watch.

The young man had dark hair that was combed back, one small lock of hair having come loose just over his forehead. He was dressed in charcoal grey trousers and a matching coat, a white dress shirt peeking out from beneath the lapels and the dark green scarf that hung over his neck. His brogues shined in the light of the gallery, and as he stepped in behind Frigga, his eyes met Mayas immediately, landing on her purposefully. They were startlingly green, and from this distance she could see the shine of amusement in them. His expression however, gave nothing away, his lips did not form into a smile and his brows did not move from the way they seemed set over his eyes. On the other hand, Frigga glowed with delight as Maya stepped forward to greet her.

"Maya!" She gracefully strode to her and Maya was grateful that she had kept her word on using her given name here, "Oh you look so beautiful." She hugged her and then proceeded to press a warm kiss to her cheek, "Here, meet my son, Loki."

Smiling, with one hand on Maya's arm, she took Loki's hand and gave him an encouraging squeeze. Nadia could see that Frigga was delighted to bring her offspring together, she was oozing a kind of happiness that Nadia realized she would never get to experience.

Maya smiled shyly, extending her free hand to shake his. He took her hand and the moment must have lasted no longer than a few seconds but to her it felt as if time had slowed down.

A soft smile broke out on his face as he brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. His lips were surprisingly cold, "A pleasure to finally meet you, _Maya."_

His voice was very deep and literally smooth, his accent pronounced and very English. Maya had to suppress the flutter she felt in her stomach, and the awareness of how soft her hand felt in his made her withdraw her hand too quickly, physically withdrawing from him.

"I…It's nice to meet you too." A nervous laugh escaped her as Loki smiled tersely, his eyes crinkling in some sort of faux politeness. She could see the mischief in them, the only evident emotion he seemed to give away. She was now keenly aware that he probably took pleasure in her nervous reaction.

Having noticed the intensity of their exchange, Frigga slipped her hand into Mayas, determined to bring her away from her son's attention and scrutiny, "Come child, show me your work. I've been eating away all day at this boy about the show." As they turned away, Frigga gave her son a scolding stare. She knew he had a certain way with women, but she would not approve of him making his sister uncomfortable.

Maya was grateful at the woman's chattiness, and more grateful to turn away from Loki as she led her towards her side of the gallery. Nadia greeted Frigga with a hug and a kiss, pausing in what Maya recognized as a pleasant kind of surprise as she eyed Loki.

"All grown up I see." She patted his arm as he smiled at her, chuckling softly at her comment. Now interested in their exchange, Maya furrowed her brows suspiciously, catching Nadia's eye as she raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I'm afraid I can't say you've aged much." He retorted, his eyes moving from Nadia to Maya, who was watching them with renewed interest. Loki winked at her and she seemed to be paralysed from embarrassment. She had been exchanging a strange look with her mother and having been spotted she turned her attention hastily back to Frigga to lead her through the show. Having something to talk about allowed her to feel less tense, explaining bits and bobs of her paintings and what had inspired her freely. Loki was close behind them, keenly absorbing Maya's commentary.

Human art-work fascinated him, and Maya's paintings more so. He had read up on modern art as soon as Frigga had mentioned that he would be attending his sister's graduation show. It wasn't at all a pointless form of celebration, he mused. There was clearly some talent here, and although he may have been biased, Maya's paintings spoke to him on a different level from the others.

She stood before the last one, Frigga talking in a hushed voice to Nadia further away. Taking it as an opportunity, Loki joined her, nudging her gently from her reverie with his smooth voice,

"I enjoy your use of colour."

She smiled up at him slightly, uncertain of how to respond, so he continued.

"There's such a pervasive sense of loneliness in these images, is that what you were aiming for?"

She was silent for a moment, chewing her lip before she responded. Hands tucked in his pockets, he peered down at her, his head turned only slightly towards her. He had suddenly become aware that many pairs of eyes were watching them.

"I suppose these paintings all reflect how I had begun to feel when I made them."

He nodded, "They are very beautiful, more so because of the feelings they evoke."

Curiously, she turned towards him and gave him a puzzled look. He smiled down at her, a chucked escaping his mouth that sounded so genuine it pleased Maya.

"I think it runs in our family."

Making his comment, he stepped around her and gracefully sauntered away to have a look at the other graduate's work, leaving her to stare at the space between his shoulders as she watched him go. Striding away slowly and leisurely, he felt a strange sense of pleasure.

' _Perhaps I can make a game out of tormenting her with my commentary.'_

Sure enough, he could feel her still watching him. Perhaps her eyes were smouldering, perhaps he had triggered something in her. He suppressed the urge to turn around and look, busying himself by feigning interest in the set of sculptures in this part of the show.

Left alone, Maya begrudgingly stared a hole through his back, only looking away from him as she spotted Emma perking up as she noticed him roam down towards her work. She would have giggled at her friend's reaction, if she wasn't so caught up in his comment.

Several people had come to look at her paintings, parents, friends, siblings of her batchmates. However, a good 20 minutes after Loki had wandered away from her, a certain lanky blonde entered the building. She cursed her luck.

' _Having a spot right at the beginning of the show isn't helping.'_

She was tempted to hide away behind her mothers, but they too had wandered off to speak to the others. She spotted Frigga, champagne glass in hand, nodding politely at an animated Emma.

Maya had stiffened visibly as she realized she had no escape, except to turn around. To make matters more awkward, his gaze landed right on her and consequently they both seemed to freeze.

Loki had just come around the floor, having slowly gone through each display and avoiding the polite stares of the graduates that wanted to talk about their work. Truly, he had no interest in what they had to say.

' _What I do have an interest in,'_ He paused, having spotted Maya looking very tense and very stiff, and very un-fidgety, ' _Is this situation we have here.'_

He followed her gaze to the blonde male who seemed to pause similarly, and then appeared to blank her and crossed the entrance, walking past Loki to another woman that squealed in joy at his arrival. Annoyed by the sound, he turned to glance over his shoulder, spotting the blonde in the arms of a shorter woman who also had her work on display.

When Loki turned back to Maya, she was looking at _him._ With so much despair in her eyes too. Pursing his lips, he strode to her, put an arm around her and guided her to turn around so that her back was to the blonde. To Loki's pleasure, he was watching the two with an almost vehement glare.

"Is he the little mortal that couldn't handle you?" His voice was an almost mocking whisper, green eyes flitting from the lanky blonde to the dark-haired woman before him, hands firmly planted on her back.

He could see he struck a nerve because Maya's eyes flitted from staring awkwardly at his throat to his own misty-green ones and were _absolutely_ smouldering.

"Yes. How do you and your mother _even know_ about that?" She snapped.

He grinned, leaning forward to press his lips to her forehead. Instinctively, she put her hands on his chest, whether to push him away or welcome the gesture, neither of them was sure of. Loki chose to ignore the pressure of her palms. She could feel the rumble of a laugh escaping his chest, and then the gentle vibration of his voice.

"You are deserving of a far less dull creature than that."

' _Thanks for completely ignoring my question.'_

He flicked her nose with a finger before stepping away to join Frigga and Nadia, who were conversing animatedly now, their eyes trained on the two of them with an intense curiosity. His comment left a warmth in her and a small smile made its way onto her face as she joined them, deciding to forget Sam for the rest of the evening.

"I assume we'll be seeing you at home very soon."

Maya hadn't realized Loki was still addressing her, only registering when Frigga and Nadia turned their gazes to her.

"Oh. Yeah, I think tomorrow. We have our afterparty tonight, so I'll be busy with that."

' _Very busy, getting very drunk. Thanks for asking.'_ As she completed the sentence in her head, her lips twitched tellingly.

Frigga gave her a small smile. Loki nodded approvingly, aware that mortals were no different when it came to matters of celebrating even the smallest of victories.

It hadn't escaped Frigga's observation that he was decidedly interactive today. Loki was the quieter of her sons, preferring to keep to himself. Bringing him to meet his grown-up Freyja had brought out something in him that seemed akin to familial joy, and Frigga was pleased. She understood that he felt himself a shadow in Asgard, and although he had made himself a strong place there, Freyja offered a chance at a bond that was uncorrupted by popular opinion of him.

Frigga could attest to the fact that Loki was a deep lover. He was affected by the knowledge of his sister being abandoned in a different realm and had grown up keeping the secret close to his heart. He had looked out for Thor, being the clever of the two, and had continued to do so well into his young adulthood. His ability to reign in his jealousy and put aside his more selfish desires led her to believe that he would be a most noble man in his later years.

As they bade goodbye to the Vanschilds, Loki's eyes lingered constantly on the younger girl, making her fidget uncomfortably. He had kissed the back of her hand before leaving, waiting outside for his mother to say goodbye as he turned his eyes skyward.

Now that he was alone, hands in his pockets, he took slow, long strides away from the entrance. The evening sky had darkened and there were few stars visible in the city-sky. He remembered his first night on Midgard.

Frigga had brought him to introduce him to his sister, Freyja. At his age then, he understood little of the reasons for secrecy. However, now it seemed to him that Odin was very unaware of Freyja's existence, and that he was _definitely_ not her father- leaving Frigga guilty of infidelity.

Telling of Freyja's parentage was the darker brown of her hair, not like Frigga's, the shape of her eyes and the gentler curves of her heart-shaped face- she lacked some of the sharpness that Loki and Thor both possessed. The form-fitting dress revealed that she was more petite and more shapely- her hips curving widely. She did not carry herself with the grace that most Asgardian women held, nor did she display any signs of strength. Loki had to reign in his scrutiny of her, aware that she had become unsettled during their time together at the degree show, as if she could feel his internal commentary on her physical form. Despite finding only flaws, he couldn't help but feel an intense interest in her, although he could not explain _why._ There were so many differences from what he had expected her to be like, he wasn't sure if he was more disappointed or more surprised.

' _I wonder then, if my father too is someone else.'_

As he clasped his hands behind his back, the wind tousled his hair, the one loose lock bouncing against his forehead. He dismissed the thought from his mind, deeming it ridiculous to even ponder such. Odin had raised him as his own son surely, he wouldn't have done so had he not been his own. As the breeze picked up again, it came with a chill, and Loki was relieved to be returning to Asgard where the air was fresher and where the stench of this city would not follow him.

' _In a few days, Freyja will join us in Vanaheim.'_ He understood why keeping her out of Asgard was important. Vanaheim was Frigga's home, and there she would teach Freyja everything she needed to know about her abilities and her natural prowess. Much of Loki's education too, had been carried out there.

' _I wonder if she will attend Thor's coronation.'_

Leaving that question for his mother, he waited patiently as she emerged from the building, her expression very poised. It meant she was upset, Loki knew better than to ask as he took her arm and they strode away into the night.


End file.
